Cleveland Indians: 3 players who have something to prove in final 40+ games

Bradley Zimmer, OF, Cleveland Indians

Similar to Clase, the opportunity for Bradley Zimmer is clearly there. Now, he just has to take advantage of it. Turning 29-years old in November, Zimmer is in a similar situation that Tyler Naquin was in last year. If he wants to stay with the organization moving forward, he needs to end the season on a strong note.

The good news for Zimmer is that he’s already started the process. After having an injury riddled stretch that saw him play just 63 games over three seasons from 2018 through 2020, Zimmer has been able to showcase the potential that caused him to be Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.

With an outfield that is essentially an open race, Zimmer has taken control recently and seems to be surging through the end of the year. At least he had been. What initially seemed like the beginning to Zimmer finally tapping into his full potential is now looking like a flash in the pan.

Over the last two weeks he’s slashing .205/.289/.308 with just one double and one home run. The last week is actually even worse. That won’t cut it. If Zimmer wants his shot at staying in Cleveland, he needs to find his swing again. Otherwise, he could get the same fate as Naquin and be let go at the end of the year.